What is cystic fibrosis (CF)?

What is cystic fibrosis (CF)?

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic (inherited) disease that causes sticky, thick mucus to build up in organs, including your lungs and pancreas.

If you don’t have CF, the mucus that lines organs and body cavities, such as your lungs and nose, is slippery and watery. If you do have CF, thick mucus clogs the airways and makes it difficult to breathe.

Mucus also blocks the ducts in the pancreas, causing problems with digesting food. Babies and children who have CF might not be able to absorb enough nutrients from food. CF, which is chronic (long-lasting) and progressive (getting worse over time), also affects your liver, sinus, intestines and sex organs.

There’s also a form of disease called “atypical cystic fibrosis.” It’s different from classic CF because it’s a milder form and may only affect one organ. The other “atypical” thing about it is that it usually comes on much later in life. “Typical” or classic CF generally shows up in the first few years of a child’s life.